Sheath protecting a cannula, and safety syringe comprising said sheath

Abstract

A protective sheath ( 100 ) for a cannula ( 210 ) arranged on a hub ( 200 ) which can be fitted onto a syringe ( 300 ), the sheath including female elements intended to cooperate with male elements ( 201 ) of the hub ( 200 ) for guiding thereof, and characterized in that the female elements include a retracted position before use RBU, a retracted position during use RU, and a retracted position after use RAU, wherein the whole length of the cannula ( 210 ) is inside the sheath ( 100 ), the female elements further include an ejection position E, wherein whole or part of the cannula ( 210 ) protrudes out of the sheath ( 100 ), and further characterized in that at least two of the RBU, RU, and RAU positions are substantially transversally aligned.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A protective sheath ( 100 ) for a cannula ( 210 ) arranged on a hub ( 200 ) fittable upon a syringe, said sheath ( 100 ) comprising:
 a hollow cylindrical body extending along a longitudinal axis, the cylindrical body provided with cavities in a thickness of the cylindrical body forming female features configured to cooperate with a male element ( 201 ) of the hub ( 200 ) for guiding a movement of the sheath, wherein,
 said female features are configured to guide the cylindrical body into any one of a retracted before use (RBU) position, a retracted during use (RU) position, and a retracted after use (RAU) position where, in the RAU position, an entire length of the cannula ( 210 ) is received inside the cylindrical body, 
 said female features are further configured to guide the cylindrical body into an ejection (E) position where at least part of the cannula ( 210 ) protrudes outwardly from the cylindrical body, and 
 each of the three RBU, RU, and RAU positions are transversally aligned. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The protective sheath ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said female features include:
 a primary transition structure ( 110 ) that receive the male element ( 201 ) of the hub ( 200 ) for guiding said male element ( 201 ) to the RBU position; 
 a primary locking structure ( 120 ) that temporarily locks said male element ( 201 ) in the RBU position; 
 a secondary transition structure ( 130 ) that guides said male element ( 201 ) from the RBU to the RU position; 
 a secondary locking structure ( 140 ) that temporarily locks said male element ( 201 ) in the RU position; 
 a guiding structure ( 150 ), that guides said male element ( 201 ) forth from the RU position to the E position and back from the E position to the RU position; 
 a tertiary transition structure ( 160 ) that guides said male element ( 201 ) from the RU position to the RAU position; and/or 
 a final locking structure ( 170 ) that permanently locks said male element ( 201 ) in the RAU position. 
 
     
     
       3. The protective sheath ( 100 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein said tertiary transition structure ( 160 ) include a rotational guiding structure. 
     
     
       4. The protective sheath ( 100 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein said secondary transition structure ( 130 ) includes a translation/rotation guiding structure ( 131 ) that guides the male element ( 201 ) from the RBU position to a transitory position T, and a longitudinal guiding structure ( 132 ) that guides said male element ( 201 ) from the T position to the RU position. 
     
     
       5. The protective sheath ( 100 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein said longitudinal guiding structure ( 132 ) is a one-way transition structure comprising an anti-return structure. 
     
     
       6. The protective sheath ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 anti-slipping means, which includes at least one of:
 inclined planes ( 121 ,  133 ,  171 ,  172 ) and/or at least one rib ( 106 ), and 
 at least one rib ( 107 ) that prevents dismounting of the hub ( 200 ) from said sheath ( 100 ). 
 
 
     
     
       7. The protective sheath ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the distal end ( 102 ) of said sheath ( 100 ) is any of conical or beveled. 
     
     
       8. The protective sheath ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a gripping structure ( 101 ) constituting ribs covered by a grinding or an erosion grain, located on an external surface ( 105 ) of said sheath ( 100 ). 
 
     
     
       9. The protective sheath ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the RBU, RU, and RAU positions are transversally aligned such that each point has a same coordinate plus or minus 3 mm. 
     
     
       10. An injection system, comprising:
 a protective sheath ( 100 ) for a cannula ( 210 ), the protective sheath ( 100 ) comprising a hollow cylindrical body extending along a longitudinal axis, the protective sheath ( 100 ) arranged on a hub ( 200 ) which can be fitted onto a syringe, said sheath ( 100 ) comprising female features configured to cooperate with a male element ( 201 ) of the hub ( 200 ) for guiding thereof, wherein:
 said female features are configured to guide the cylindrical body into any one of a retracted before use (RBU) position, and a retracted after use (RAU) position where, in the RAU position, an entire length of the cannula ( 210 ) is received inside the cylindrical body, 
 said female features are further configured to guide the cylindrical body into an ejection (E) position where at least part of the cannula ( 210 ) protrudes outwardly from said the cylindrical body, and 
 each of the three RBU, RU, and RAU positions are transversally aligned; and 
 
 a hub ( 200 ), inserted within said sheath ( 100 ). 
 
     
     
       11. The injection system according to  claim 10  wherein said female features include:
 a primary transition structure ( 110 ) that receives the male element ( 201 ) of the hub ( 200 ) and guides said male element ( 201 ) to the RBU position; 
 a primary locking structure ( 120 ) that temporarily locks said male element ( 201 ) in the RBU position; 
 a secondary transition structure ( 130 ) that guides said male element ( 201 ) from the RBU to the RU position; 
 a secondary locking structure ( 140 ) that temporarily locks said male element ( 201 ) in the RU position; 
 a guiding structure ( 150 ), that guides said male element ( 201 ) forth from the RU position to the E position and back from the E position to the RU position; 
 a tertiary transition structure ( 160 ) that guides said male element ( 201 ) from the RU position to the RAU position; and/or 
 a final locking structure ( 170 ) that permanently locks said male element ( 201 ) in the RAU position. 
 
     
     
       12. The injection according to  claim 10 , wherein the hub ( 200 ) comprises:
 said male element ( 201 ), adapted to cooperate with said female features of said sheath ( 100 ) wherein the hub ( 200 ) is inserted. 
 
     
     
       13. The injection system according to  claim 12 , wherein the hub ( 200 ) further comprises:
 a cannula ( 210 ), protruding at both ends of the hub ( 200 ). 
 
     
     
       14. The injection system according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the RBU, RU, and RAU positions are transversally aligned such that each point has a same coordinate plus or minus 3 mm. 
     
     
       15. A syringe system, comprising:
 a syringe; and 
 a protective sheath ( 100 ) for a cannula ( 210 ), the protective sheath ( 100 ) comprised of a hollow cylindrical body extending along a longitudinal axis, the protective sheath ( 100 ) arranged on a hub ( 200 ) which is fittable onto the syringe, said sheath ( 100 ) comprising female features that cooperates with a male element ( 201 ) of the hub ( 200 ) for guiding thereof, wherein:
 said female features are configured to guide the cylindrical body into any one of a retracted before use (RBU) position, a retracted during use (RU) position, and a retracted after use (RAU) position where, in the RAU position an entire length of the cannula ( 210 ) is received inside the cylindrical body, 
 said female features are further configured to guide the cylindrical body into an ejection (E) position where at least part of the cannula ( 210 ) protrudes outwardly from of the cylindrical body, and 
 each of the three RBU, RU, and RAU positions are transversally aligned. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The syringe system according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a hub ( 200 ) inserted within the sheath ( 100 ). 
 
     
     
       17. The syringe system according to  claim 15 , wherein the system is configured to hold a cartridge ( 400 ) such that the cartridge ( 400 ) is immobilized in an axial direction at a neck ( 402 ) of said cartridge ( 400 ) via a flexible clip ( 305 ). 
     
     
       18. The syringe system according to  claim 15 , wherein the syringe is a disposable syringe having a precut ( 306 ) located substantially at a distal end of said syringe system, made of a series of perforations or one or more circumferential grooves. 
     
     
       19. The syringe system according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the cartridge ( 400 ) is immobilized in radial direction, and 
 wherein the plunger ( 310 ) of said syringe is equipped with a plunger seal ( 312 ) comprising lips ( 313 ). 
 
     
     
       20. The syringe system according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 soft overmoldings located in a thumb area ( 311 ) and in a grip area ( 302 ) of said syringe system. 
 
     
     
       21. The injection system according to  claim 15 , wherein each of the RBU, RU, and RAU positions are transversally aligned such that each point has a same coordinate plus or minus 3 mm.